If you had to make an equivalent representative selection of music for the UK, as you have made in this programme of Russian music, what would you choose? Are we too 'global', have we lost a representative voice or sound of our country, for it to be possible?

I really enjoy your programme, most particularly when you play music from the Indian sub-continent and Tibet.

With good wishes, Anna

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CG reply:

Very good question, Anna

Limiting the selection to artists currently performing and/or making records:

Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara
Saltpeter
Son of Dave (actually Canadian, but based here for long enough to qualify)
Pama International
Kadialy Kouyate & Kike Pederson

Des wrote:Doesn't Anna mean a music that reflects the UK's roots traditions? In which case Mr Anderson may have something to add.

That was kind of my interpretation (I thought she meant identifiably-British rather than particularly roots-based), to wit here's my hastily-cobbled list of British replacements (I'm sure it can be bettered):-

Petersfield! Once upon a time my home town! We lived there almost from my birth to when I was about 13 with occasional stretches abroad and then being sent off to ghastly boarding schools. Some of my fondest memories of England are from that town. And when we were there we listened to The Beatles! And Manfred Mann! And The Swinging Blue Jeans! And The Dave Clarke Five! Etc. etc. etc.

Sorry about the almost completely irrelevant posting. I just got excited.

I assumed she was asking literally, what are the UK equivalents of both the music I usually play and the tracks in that Russian programme, which range from accordions (Iva Nova) to electronica (Volga).

It's a big field, but not many Brit pop artists risk getting their boots muddy.